Bollinger Motors Reveals Chassis for Electric Off-Road Truck

While most companies developing new electric cars are focused on Tesla-like luxury models, Bollinger Motors is taking a different approach. The startup, based in upstate New York, announced earlier this week it will build an electric truck designed for both work and off-road play. The truck will be revealed this summer, but for now, Bollinger is offering a peek at the chassis—and it looks like a fairly solid foundation.

The chassis is made from aluminum to save weight, with a high-strength steel rollover structure for added durability. Based on the photo released by Bollinger, the truck appears to have front and rear mounted electric motors to enable four-wheel drive, and a battery pack mounted on either side of a central tunnel. The chassis itself weighs 295 pounds, according to Bollinger.

The company says its completed truck will have a 105-inch wheelbase, with a 68-inch front and rear track. It will sport an approach angle of 56 degrees, departure angle of 53 degrees, and breaker angle of 33 degrees. All of those figures are higher than those of a current-generation Jeep Wrangler.

The truck rides on adjustable four-wheel independent hydro-pneumatic suspension, which Bollinger says allows for 15.5 inches of ground clearance and 10 inches of wheel travel. The truck features portal axles, too, which likely play an important part in achieving that ground clearance figure. The prototype chassis rides on BFGoodrich Mud Terrain LT285/70/R17 tires.

It's interesting to see an electric-car startup aim for a different market segment than the usual "fancy fast car" niche, but Bollinger faces the same challenges as the various other newcomers trying to launch electric vehicles. The car industry is a complex and capital-intensive business, and Tesla's success is the exception, not the rule.